Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 4 Episode 4 (section)

===Part 1===

The world a few years ago.

Lux was looking back at the continuation of that.

The memory when he was a child. The continuation of the day when he helped Philuffy and they recognized each other as friends for the first time.

After that, it didn’t take much time until the two of them became close with each other.

Because of the circumstances of Philuffy’s father’s work, until now she had never stayed for long in the same place, and Lux too didn’t have someone the same age as him who he could open his heart to.

While Philuffy’s father was staying in the capital because of the business conditions of that time, Lux was spending a long time with Philuffy inside and outside the imperial court. He also went to play at her house.

It was only a period of around two months, but for Lux who didn’t have any friends until now, the happy time that was like a dream continued.

In the castle they explored various places that they could enter, because of that they got lost and later got scolded by their parents.

They made toys at a workshop outside the castle and presented it to each other, and explored the nearby vast forest.

Lux was treated to Philuffy’s specialty cooking, which was hotcakes, and because Lux said that it was delicious Philuffy created a lot and it felt like his stomach would burst.

When they were covered all over with mud on a rainy day, they entered a bath together.

Lux was used to seeing his little sister’s naked body, but he still felt a bit embarrassed.

But, that happy every day life suddenly met its end.

The day Lux’s grandfather Wade had an audience with the emperor.

Because he gave a strong counsel and tried to admonish the emperor, he earned the animosity of the emperor. Lux’s grandfather was imprisoned due to the crime of defamation and Lux’s family was also expelled from the imperial court.

What was waiting for Lux and the others who left the castle was the hatred and fury of the people who were oppressed by the empire.

The gazes of resentment that he felt when he went outside of the residence in the outskirts of the imperial capital.

Lux had never heard of anything that they said then, but even from afar he understood that they were talking maliciously about him.

When he was living in the imperial court, his nerves were worn out as an imperial family member who was the farthest from the throne’s succession rights, but the conclusion was the worst.

Lux and his family who were recognized as the decorations of the imperial capital were only used as an example to serve as a warning.

Those who turned their blade to the emperor, the people whose will strayed from the imperial family, they would lose protection.

What would happen as a result to those who lose that protection? Lux tasted the resulting terror and repulsiveness keenly.

He also became unable to meet Philuffy that often.

Thinking back, Philuffy’s father must have regarded it as dangerous to meet him openly.

Even so, the times when he was able to meet Philuffy, it would be just as in the past. It supported Lux very much.

And then──that day seven years ago.

Under the raining hill, that day the horse carriage that Lux and his mother were riding fell.

Lux asked for help. But the people that his grandfather tried to protect showered them with boos and rocks, they were watching his seriously wounded mother die without helping.

Even Lux who was still a child at that time logically understood why it turned out like that.

Other than a part of the nobility and the imperial family, nobody else knew what Lux’s grandfather said to the emperor that caused him to get thrown into the prison.

The people resented the imperial family who was carrying out a tyrannical rule and lived in vice while tormenting them.

As the punishment for defying the emperor, the emperor deliberately sent Lux and his family to such an environment.

The horse carriage falling into a cliff at that time was only a tragic incident that came at that unfortunate time.

But, this was about his only mother.

Furthermore she was the only parent that protected Lux. For Lux who lost her, such logic didn’t become any consolation for him.

His father the emperor, the imperial family, the factions──and even the people were his enemies.

Lux who was hit by the hatred and resentment from the surrounding felt something like dregs piling up day by day inside his chest.

「……I don’t want to meet you again, go home.」

After his mother’s death, when her modest funeral service was over, Lux said that to Philuffy in front of his mother’s grave.

He knew that he was just venting his anger to the wrong person.

However, because of the muddy black something whirling inside his chest, he was unable to look at his childhood friend’s face like usual.

And then, if even Phillufy and her family changed how they looked at Lux then──

That thought was very much terrifying, that he couldn’t help but distance Philuffy from himself.

「I’ll, come again.」

「…………」

Lux pretended to not hear the small voice from behind him because of the rainfall.

But, somewhere inside his heart, his childish heart was hoping.

The imperial family, the nobles obeying them, and then the people too were the enemies of Lux’s family.

Even so, perhaps only Philuffy would stay as his ally. He held such hope.

 

After that, a week passed.

But since that day, Philuffy had never visited Lux’s residence again.

He thought that it couldn’t be helped.

His family was already an existence that was shirked in the imperial capital.

If someone got close to his family, they might meet misfortune. There was no doubt that Philuffy’s father also stopped her from coming.

Even though he understood that logically, it was painful.

That day Lux also came to the grave in front of the church.

He visited the grave once a day, but every time he came there always would be a single flower placed before the grave.

Thinking that it must be the priest who placed that flower, Lux felt saved just for a bit.

But, that day there wasn’t any flower, when Lux returned to his residence, he heard the sound of the door being knocked.

「Lux-kun!? It’s a disaster! Philuffy disappeared from home──」

Lux’s mind turned white for a moment hearing Relie’s words, and then, he noticed.

The one who brought flowers everyday to his mother’s grave, was Philuffy.

According to Relie, Philuffy was forbidden from going to Lux’s residence for a while by her father’s order.

In the first place, there was a far distance from their mansion until this residence, they wouldn’t be able to come without using a horse carriage.

But, Philuffy sneaked behind the backs of the servants and slipped out of the mansion, she walked through long distances and came until nearby Lux’s residence.

Since then Philuffy came everyday to where Lux was.

When Lux split with Relie to search separately, he found Philuffy placing a flower in front of the grave of Lux’s mother.

Her clothes was covered with mud everywhere, blood was flowing from her knee and forehead. Perhaps she had fallen down in the forest.

「Why……?」

Hearing the words Lux squeezed out, Philuffy turned around and answered.

「I thought that if I came here, I can meet you.」

「Why did you sneak out and come here!? Even though I told you that I don’t want to meet you anymore, why did you come everyday!? Even though, meeting someone like me who isn’t wanted by anyone anymore, is meaningless──」

「Because, I’m a poor talker.」

When Lux yelled that with a sorrowful voice, Philuffy looked down with her usual expressionless face looking just a little sad, and muttered.

「I don’t understand, what should I say to Lu-chan at this kind of time, but……」

Philuffy was speaking while walking slowly under the rain towards him.

And then, she tightly embraced Lux’s body, and whispered.

「Phi……chan?」

「In the past, my dead Okaa-san told me. Do this, to your important person, she said.」

The sensation of cold skin that was exposed to rain.

Even so a faint warmth shook Lux’s heart.

「Lu-chan, isn’t alone.」

Lux’s body began to tremble hearing the kindly whispered words.

He hugged back her body with a trembling hand. He raised his voice and continued to cry.

The tears that he had never let out even once since that day his mother died, the dam broke and it overflowed out.

Philuffy continued to gently pat Lux’s back.

The hatred and resentment that filled Lux’s chest until now felt like they all vanished just from that.

After that, the father who was beaten down by Philuffy’s persistence attached Relie and servants and guards at her side to bring her to Lux’s residence everyday.

A few days after that, it seemed that they would have to leave the capital because of work circumstances and the last day of the parting finally arrived.

「Really thank you, for everything. Phi-chan.」

Lux who had completely regained his footing was calm even in his parting with Philuffy.

He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t lonely, but thanks to her he could keep on living from here on too.

He thought that he wouldn’t lose sight of himself anymore.

On the other hand Philuffy was silent like usual, Lux was talking various things with several adults including Relie and Dalt.

And then, when the time to part arrived, Lux yelled towards that back.

「That…… I’ll absolutely create it! A country where even girls like Phi-chan can feel safe, I will create it! I swear that I’ll absolutely change this empire! That’s why──」

Lux looked down, his words got caught in his throat. Philuffy turned around towards such Lux.

And then, she slowly walked towards Lux, then she softly pressed her lips on Lux’s lips.

「──Eh?」

The soft sensation touching his lips.

A sweet fragrance tickled his nasal cavity before it went away.

「Good luck charm. Onee-chan taught it to me. So that one day, we can meet again for sure, she said.」

「…………」

Lux couldn’t make any words.

It wasn’t just because of feeling embarrassed from getting kissed, he was completely in a daze from the lingering mysterious warmth filling his chest.

「Bye bye, Lu-chan.」

「Rig,ht……」

The little bit of Philuffy’s smile he saw at the end melted into Lux’s memory and vanished.

 

And then──Lux woke up.